Schools Bill [HL]

Debate between Lord Storey and Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

Committee stage
Wednesday 22nd June 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Storey (LD)]

The noble Baroness, Lady Jones, sort of said “all home educators” and I briefly want to say that that is not the case. Some home educators feel threatened by a number of people in their organisation, particularly a number of ex-home educators who are running and providing services. I am happy to show the noble Baroness the evidence for that privately.

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP)]

I did not say “all”. I am well aware that there are others, but I did not say “all”.

[Lord Storey (LD)]

The noble Baroness said “home educators”. The noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, corrected by saying “some home educators”, but the noble Baroness, Lady Jones, said “home educators”. When she said that, it indicated to me that she was talking about all home educators.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP)]

I am really sorry; the noble Lord is going to have to check this in Hansard. I have my copy and that is not what I said.

[Lord Storey (LD)]

Let us agree to differ until we see Hansard.

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP)]

No—the noble Lord is wrong.

[Lord Storey (LD)]

If I am wrong, I am wrong and will apologise, but I make the point quite strongly that a large number of home educators are getting on with home educating. Within the home education movement, there are home educators who are behaving in an unacceptable way. In the first debate we had—I do not think the noble Baroness, Lady Jones, was with us—we all agreed, or the feeling of the debate was, that we need to use language that brings home educators together and works with local authorities. That is really important.

I turn to the issue of school attendance, which, again, we discussed previously. Part of me asks that, if school attendance is important—of course it is; it is hugely important, and we want to make sure every child and young person is in school—what are the tools in our kit to ensure that it happens? It must be through encouragement, reward and so on. If that is the case, should we say that there should be no sanctions, and let us do it through all other means? If we want school attendance to thrive in our society, we should not be suggesting that parents be fined, taken to court or, as my noble friend Lady Brinton mentioned, criminalised. Should we have a serious discussion about doing away with all those sanctions? If so, we need to know the consequences. I prefer a carrot-and-stick approach, but the carrot should be the overriding way we encourage parents to ensure that their children are in school.